Stars Shine Brightest
by CalebKing
Summary: Mostly fluff. NxS. "Why do such bright stars seem so far away?"


Disclaimer: I'm not sure I could handle the whole cast of characters if they were mine. Plus, I would likely kill off Sasuke in no time. Sigh.

Stars Shine Brightest When...

She found him on the roof again, a common spot for the blond these days.

For a moment, she considered a few teasing remarks, but his countenance wasn't troubled, just intent, so she decided he didn't need the light comments.

"What are you looking at?" she asked instead, falling gracefully beside him to sit. His head turned against the rooftop, and for a few moments those clear blue eyes were focused on her. Then he turned back.

"Just looking at the stars," he said, voice quiet.

It was uncharacteristic of him, but so was this thoughtful mien.

Perhaps she would have to dredge up some humor, after all.

"They're so bright," he whispered, derailing her train of thought, and after a moment, she leaned back on her elbows to peruse the night sky as he did.

"Yeah. I wonder why," she mused, ignoring his second glance at her. "Normally the streets lights are too bright for us to see so clearly."

There was a slight tension in his frame that told her he was thinking.

"Maybe it's this roof," he said, his voice oddly scholastic. "It's a special roof."

She held in her laughter for a few moments, but no more.

"Oh Naruto," she chuckled lightly. "I don't think that's it at all."

The blond sat up, scowling down at her, disgruntled.

"Well, it _could _be the reason," he insisted.

She didn't argue with him, but the look on her face must have said it all, for he gave a huff and then threw himself down with the grace of a five year old in a temper.

She reached out for his hand and entwined her fingers with his to keep him from pulling away. He wanted to, she could tell, for the implied insult, but by now she knew better than to let him go.

"So, what were you thinking about?" she asked, partly interested and partly to move his thoughts from revenge on her.

"Sasuke," he said, and thought she knew he hadn't done it for revenge, she still tensed.

But he was continuing.

"Why do such bright stars seem so far away?"

She bit her lip, wondering if he was really expecting an answer from her.

Suddenly, though, she wanted to have one, if just for him.

"I don't know why they seem so far away," she said, and then pushed up to look down into his face, lined with griefs known and experienced, but eyes still bright with life and hope.

_Sasuke's eyes were hardly ever like that, _she remembered. _And they probably never will. _

But her decision had been made a while ago.

So she lowered her head until their foreheads met, eyes inches apart.

"But you seem _very_ close to me, right now," she whispered.

He gulped.

"Oh, kami. Sakura." The slight crack in his voice revealed nervousness, rather than adolescence. It had taken the first few months to recognize the difference.

She smiled slowly, pleased at knowing this awkward tone only emerged for her.

"I think you're the brightest," she said, and knew it was stupid, and that because it was stupid, he would love it even more. "Because you're closest to me."

There was a long pause, where his blue, blue eyes looked up into hers while he searched her for all the answers he hadn't found yet, and she let him search, content to give what she could, give him what love she was able.

"So…," and the more comfortable tone was warning enough, from experience. "Since this is our roof, does that mean we get to use it however we like?" he asked, caught between asking and teasing.

Sakura gave him a bland look, and rolled up to stand.

"Since it is _our_ roof, you can use it to look at the stars all you like," she replied, opening the door that led inside.

Behind her, he scurried to his feet, belatedly catching her wrist before she disappeared below.

"Sakura, you know I was just kidding, right? Sakura?" His voice was tense with panic and worry.

She yanked on his arm hard, pulling him in after her.

"It's getting late," she responded, voice quite serious and prim.

He opened his mouth to say sorry, to knock himself on the head for tripping up _again_, when he finally glimpsed the smirk on her face.

"_Not_ on the roof, Naruto."

But he thought, as the door clicked shut, he might be able to negotiate for the rest of the house.

-

A/N: I don't know why the last bit suddenly veered off in another direction. Silly characters imposing their desires into my writing…


End file.
